A two-year (2020–2021) field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of particular nanoparticles and biofertilizers on the growth, yield, and biochemical attributes of peanuts (Cv. Giza 6). Before planting, the seeds were inoculated with two biofertilizers, mycorrhiza and phosphorine, and were considered the main plot. The subplot contained foliar sprays of nanoparticles, i.e., 200 ppm boron (B), 200 ppm calcium (Ca), their combination (Ca+B), and the control (no spray). The results revealed that mycorrhiza significantly increased 100-seed weight (70.45 g), seed yield (1.9 ton/ha), biological yield (7.5 ton/ha), crop growth rate (CGR) (2.9 g day⁻¹ m⁻²), branching number (12.5), and protein content (22.96) compared with the control or phosphorine. Among the nanoparticles, Ca+B maximally improved plant height, CGR, 100-seed weight, shelling percentage, seed yield, oil content, and seed protein, while plants treated with B exhibited maximum seed nitrogen, pods per plant, and biological yield compared to other treatments. Overall, plants treated with Ca and B nanoparticles and mycorrhiza exhibited remarkable improvement in their growth, yield, and biochemical attributes, suggesting that nanotechnology and biofertilization are steps toward environmentally friendly, progressive farming. This study laid the basis for further elucidation of the molecular mechanism of plants in response to these nanoparticles and biofertilizers.

A field trial was conducted to investigate the productivity of three bread wheat cultivars, namely Giza-168, Shandawel-1, and Misr-2, under different fertilization treatments, i.e., azotobacter inoculation, 25% nitrogen (N) + azotobacter, 50%N + azotobacter, 75%N + azotobacter, and 100%N of the recommended level (180 kg/ha). The treatments were laid in a split-plot design, and each was replicated three times. The findings showed that wheat cultivars examined in the two seasons exhibited significant variations (p ≤ 0.05) in plant height (PH, cm), number of tillers m⁻² (NTM), number of spikelets per spike (NSS), 1000-grain weight (TGW, g), spike length (SL, cm), biological yield (BY, ton ha⁻¹), grain yield (GY, ton ha⁻¹), straw yield (SY, ton ha⁻¹), harvest index (HI, %), protein content (PC, %), days to 50% heading (DTH), and chlorophyll content (CC, SPAD). As a result, Giza-168 had a higher GY (14%), HI (27%), and TGW (10%) than any of the other two cultivars in both growing seasons. Furthermore, Misr-2 exhibited the highest PH (16%), NTM (26%), NSS (28%), SL (10%), BY (30%), SY (46%), and CC (3%). The application of the two treatments of 100%N and N75% + azotobacter exhibited high and statistically similar performance, resulting in an increase in all studied traits by greater than 30–50% compared to the other three treatments. According to the findings of the current investigation, the application of N fertilizer combined with azotobacter increased wheat yield more than either solely azotobacter or N application. We concluded that the application of nitrogen combined with azotobacter reduced the quantity of applied nitrogen by 25%.

To generate high-yielding cultivars with favorable fiber quality traits, cotton breeders can use information about combining ability and gene activity within a population to locate elite parents and potential F1 crosses. To this end, in the current study, twelve cotton parents (eight genotypes as female parents and four testers) and their F1 crosses obtained utilizing the linex tester mating design were evaluated for their general and specialized combining abilities (GCA and SCA, respectively) of yield traits. The findings showed that for all the investigated variables, variances owing to genotypes, parents, crosses, and parent vs cross showed extremely significant (P ≤ 0.01) differences. Additionally, throughout the course of two growing seasons, the mean squares for genotypes (parents and crosses) showed strong significance for all the variables under study. The greatest and most desired means for all the examined qualities were in the parent G.94, Pima S6, and tester G.86. The best crossings for the qualities examined were G.86 (G.89 × G.86), G.93 × Suvin, and G.86 × Suvin. The parents' Suvin, G89x G86 and TNB were shown to have the most desired general combining ability effects for seed cotton yield/plant, lint yield/plant, boll weight, number of bolls/plants, and lint index, while Suvin, G.96 and pima S6 were preferred for favored lint percentage. For seed cotton yield, lint percentage, boll weight, and number of bolls per plant per year, the cross-G.86 x (G.89 × G.86) displayed highly significant specific combining ability impacts. The crosses G.86 × Suvin, Kar x TNB, G.93 × Suvin, and G.93 × TNB for all the studied traits for each year and their combined were found to have highly significant positive heterotic effects relative to better parent, and they could be used in future cotton breeding programs for improving the studied traits.

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a popular crop worldwide. Compared to diploid seeded watermelon, triploid seedless watermelon cultivars are in great demand. Grafting in triploid and tetraploid watermelon produces few seedlings. To learn more about how genome duplication affects graft compatibility, we compared the transcriptomes of tetraploid and diploid watermelons grafted on squash rootstock using a splicing technique. WGCNA was used to compare the expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between diploid and tetraploid watermelon grafted seedlings at 0, 3, and 15 days after grafting (DAG). Only four gene networks/modules correlated significantly with phenotypic characteristics. We found 11 genes implicated in hormone, AOX, and starch metabolism in these modules based on intramodular significance and RT-qPCR. Among these genes, two were linked with IAA (r² = 0.81), one with ZR (r² = 0.85) and one with POD (r² = 0.74). In the MElightsteelblue1 module, Cla97C11G224830 gene was linked with CAT (r² = 0.81). Two genes from the MEivory module, Cla97C07G139710 and Cla97C04G077300, were highly linked with SOD (r² = 0.72). Cla97C01G023850 and Cla97C01G006680 from the MEdarkolivegreen module were associated with sugars and starch (r² = 0.87). Tetraploid grafted seedlings had higher survival rates and hormone, AOX, sugar, and starch levels than diploids. We believe that compatibility is a complicated issue that requires further molecular research. We found that genome duplication dramatically altered gene expression in the grafted plants’ IAA and ZR signal transduction pathways and AOX biosynthesis pathways, regulating hormone levels and improving plant survival.

Despite the few numbers of molecular investigations exploring the genetic diversity, very scarce information is available for supporting the taxonomic and anatomical investigations of Asteraceae species in Egypt. Thus, the adoption of modern DNA based marker techniques is an urgent need to dive into the taxonomic authentication, evolutionary relationship in addition to the calculation of genetic variations within and between Asteraceae species. Hence, the current study was conducted to assess the intraspecific genetic diversity and authenticate taxa at the species level among and within 20 different species of Asteraceae family. Using 19 primers combinations belonging to three different molecular marker systems namely, Start Codon Targeted (SCoT), CAAT box-derived Polymorphism (CBDP) and Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR). A total of 285 amplified DNA fragments were produced, including 273 polymorphic DNA bands, with an average of percentage of polymorphism (PPB) ranged from 91.10 to 100.00% and the average of polymorphism information content (PIC) for SCoT, CBDP, and ISSR markers were 0.349, 0.403, and 0.418 respectively. The population structure analysis suggested that the 20 Asteraceae species could be categorized into 2 or 7 or 8 genetic groups based on SCoT, CBDP, and ISSR markers datasets, respectively. Both factorial and phylogenetic analyses based on the presence or absence of the amplified bands/fragments were performed by Jaccard’s similarity coefficient. Interestingly, Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) cluster dendrograms for all markers system) two main clusters that all subsequently divided into different subgroups of species. Surprisingly, the UPGMA dendrogram generated based on CBDP marker data was divided into main clusters only one species of Centaurea cristata L. that collected from AGERI was clustered as a unique and main cluster separately while the remaining 19 species of Asteraceae family spreading over the first main cluster. Together, this study showed that the combination of these three molecular marker systems rather than independently could be useful tool for comprehensive evaluation of genetic diversity among and within Asteraceae species in Egypt.